CHAPTER II

FROM THE BAR TO THE BENCH

THE appointment of Sir Rufus Isaacs to the Solicitor-
Generalship—for he received the honour of knighthood
immediately after the appointment in accordance with
custom—gave rise to a good deal of comment on his success
at the Bar and the causes of his success. While some
represented that the mysterious factor which men call
Good Luck had had much to do with it, the great majority
declared that the true secret lay in his outstanding capacity
for work, and in the thoroughness with which he examined
and studied every problem submitted for his elucidation.
His motto was declared to be, in Solomon's words—
" Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy
might!" Such a moment was one that naturally sug-
gested reminiscences, and among them the following, which
was not the least suggestive of the readiness with which
he adapted himself to the situation.

His first appearance as a junior, it was said, was in a
County Court case in which he represented a fruit merchant
who was being sued by a costermonger. The costermouger,
who alleged that some boxes of figs he had purchased were
unfit for human food, grew angry under Mr. Isaacs' cross-
examination, and said : " Look you 'ere, Guvnor ! Some
of those 'ere figs is in the Court, and, if you eat three of them
and aren't ill in five minutes, I'll give up the bloomin1 case,"

The County Court Judge thought that Mr, Isaacs ought
to submit to the experiment, but the young advocate,
resourceful then as now, suggested that it would be more
fitting for his client to accept the challenge.

" What will happen if I don't eat those figs ? " whispered
the fruit merchant to his Counsel.

" Probably the judgment will go against you."

" Very well, then I'll lose the case/' was the unhesitating
reply.

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